This page is for documenting discussion points gathered during our weekly teleconferences on Friday at 3pm. Most recent on top.
EDIT: Teleconferences are now on Thursdays at 3:30 pm
Teleonference # 12: Thursday, 3:30 pm, 23th April 2009
Teleconference #11: Thursday, 3:30 pm, 16th April, 2009
Teleconference #10: Thursday, 3:30 pm, 9th April, 2009 Attendance: Adam Kanyuh, David Meyers, Catalina Mogollon, Tim O’Brien, Greg Dicosola, Haseeb Quadri Presentation feedback
-Issues with Costing for the dryer
-Operating Costing issues (utilities, catalyst, etc)
-Control scheme issues Northwestern poster session Get the final report and poster ready done Adam and Dave are providing us with: Turbo expander information and analysis
Compressor information
Operating cost (operator factors) Haseeb Q.
Call up a vendor for the cost of dryer
Size/Cost based on amount of moister and switch grass processing rate we need in order to meet our basis (syn-gas basis).
Re-evaluation of capital costs.
DCF-ROI calculations. (ROR)
Excel sheeting- already in the process of making one
Greg D.
Refine the sizes for the distillation columns, work more on pumps (final numbers needed).
Start working on a poster
Show compressor in the PFD (for recycle back to reactor)
Work on compressors/pumps/cost
Tim O. ·Work on fractionation stuff (re-evaluate) · Catalina M. ·Re-evaluation of operating cost costs (final numbers needed) ·Operating costs--- shift workers need to fixed ·Catalyst cosr should be fixed
Teleconference #9: Thursday 3:30 pm, 2nd April 2009:
Teleconference #8: Thursday 3:30 pm, 26th March 2009: Due to spring break, we have continued to work on the roles from last conference call.
Teleconference #7: Thursday 3:30 pm, 19th March 2009: -Attendance:
Adam Kanyuh, Dave Myers, Greg D., Haseeb Q., Catalina M.
-Agenda:
Discuss process optimization and project financing updates. -Review Problems:
Improve ethanol yields- recycle gas product (w/CO) and methanol Overall energy balance and heat of reaction
ICARUS Costing- to determine the cost of fractionation columns ROR,ROI,DCF- Operating cost-cost of utilities (steam, air, water, etc), labor, raw materials Catalyst- amount of catalyst needed per year for alcohol synthesis -Roles and Responsabilities:
Tim O.- Fractionation Tim B. -Catalyst/ Reactor Greg D. -Energy Balance/ Equipment Size and Cost Haseeb Q. - Equipment Sizing and Cost (ICARUS) Catalina M. - Operating Cost
Teleconference #6: Thursday 3:30 pm, 12th March 2009: Attendance: Adam Kanyuh, Dave Myers, Tim O., Haseeb Q., Greg D., Tim B., Catalina M. Agenda: Discussed about the presentation made on Tuesday and what necessary changes needs to be made in order to move forward.
For next week
Work on more sizing, capital cost, and operating cost, plant layout, and process control scheme
Teleconference #5: Thursday, March 5th, 2009 3:30 pm Attendance: Everyone Agenda:
Aspen modeling
Icarus costing estimates/euipment sizing and costing estimates
Stick with the bigger overall picture when explaining the processes
construction of materials Roles and Responsabilities: GREG D.
Gasfier sizing
Amine removal, CO2/H2S absorber material balances and energy balances if possible
Sizing of the Amine removal, CO2/H2S absorber b/c already know too much about these equipments. TIM B.
Reactor sizing
Reactor energy balance HASEEB Q.
Detailed Materials of construction of main equipment
Costing of the main equipment after the equipment sizing is done (icarus estimates) TIM O.
Aspen- Fractionation column (can analyze size and cost if possible) and the Energy balances for it CATALINA M.
Pre-treatment of biomass (power requirements etc)
Can help Greg D. with sizing of the equipments
Teleconference #4: Thursday, February 26th, 2009 3:30 pm - Attendance: Everyone
- Review Problems
Aspen Flow sheets
Chemical Reactor material and energy analysis
Recycle stream analysis
Alcohol synthesis, fractionation analysis
Equipment sizing
Stick to Block Flow diagram when explaining MB and EB. (Bigger overall picture)
Equipment sizing
Construction of materials for the main components of the plant
Icarus costing Estimates
Combine the whole process sheet (close loop analysis, no loose ends to process sheet)
Debate on Ethanol vs Butanol - Market analysis of ethanol and butanol - If stopped at ethanol, then what are we going to do with it. Advisor- is going to provide us with equipment sizing information and costing info. and going to ask professor perl about what is really needed when it comes to costing the plant.
- Roles and Responsabilities Tim Bannon
-Chemical reactor completion, alcohol synthesis fractionation unit and link up of processes Greg Discosola
-update on tar removal and CO2 removal unit and link up of processes Haseeb Quadri
-Construction of materials for the main components and costing of these equipments Tim O’brien
-More detail look into MB and EB and link up of processes Catalina
---
Teleconference #3: 1500 hrs 9 February 2009
Attendance
Adam Kanyuh, Tim O'Brien, Greg Dicosola, Haseeb Quadri, Tim Bannon -Agenda
Discuss upcoming presentation, progress -Review Problems Catalyst- what have we determined. Moly sulfide based. Sulfer (How much can we tolerate?). Catalyst we chose tolerates sulfer within range (50-100ppm) Location- Setting up in Alabama because best switchgrass is available. Waste Streams- Need to determine where all of them are going. Options for Sulfer- Bubble through caustic gas, Amine absorber, DEA or MEA Amine Absorber- Could handle CO2 and H2S Handling Tar- Absorb or catalytically absorb. Make sure tar stays in gas phase. Waste heat boiler is where it will come out. Oil Absorber? (Polisher)- For NOx, H2S. Might be able to get rid of it if we handle tar removal and CO2 removal. Problems (Should probably remove) Mass Balance- -complete general one for around plant. E.G. How much syn gas is going in and what is coming out. Complete mass and energy balances as much as possible. C O2 S N2 in C O2 S N2 out Alcohol Synthesis- -type of catalyst does water gas shift itself -add enough heat to just do water gas shift -take a look at methane coking. Make back end smaller, remove CO2 initially - Catalina and Tim B look into how much Methanol and Ethanol will come out of mixed alcohol reactor. Rough cost Estimate- -Look into sizing. All we can really do right now is look into prices of products and feedstocks. -Roles and Responsibilities
No Change
Teleconference #2: January 30, 2009 3:00 pm
-Attendance
Adam Kanyuh, Dan Rusinak, David Meyers, Catalina Mogollon, Tim O’Brien, Greg Dicosola -Agenda
Feedback on presentation. Assign goals and responsibilities for next week. -Review Problems
Decided on mix of alcohols as product - avoid costs of distillation, have market, can still leave open to butanol. Gasification techniques - Packer engineering (Peter Schubert presentation); also Taylor gasification (will be sent through e-mail). Mass Balance- Work from catalyst type and gasifier to find rates between other steps. Consider economics of heat streams, energy coming out of process, electricity generation. What is done with every stream? Design Basis- where are we building plant? Determine economic escalation factors, units of measure. How will we price product? Set up economic values up front. Also, have assumptions of yields, etc., and impact on environment. -Roles and Responsibilities
Tim O. - Gasification - decide on gasifier
Catalina - Catalyst - research catalyst
Greg D. - PFD
Group - work on mass balance around system - work outside-in -Other Ideas
N/A
Monday 26 January 2009 Meeting after class- Attendance
Tim B, Tim O, Haseeb, Catalina, Greg -Agenda
Assign duties for power point presentation due 27 January 2009. Assign initial research responsibilities. -Review Problems
Each group member will have one slide they are responsible for and will forward said slide to Catalina NLT 2200 hrs 26 January 2009.
Each group member was assigned an area of initial research responsibility to begin gathering necessary data. -Action Items
N/A -Roles and Responsibilities Research
Tim B -> Fractionation
Tim O -> Gasifier
Catalina -> Alcohol Synthesis
Greg -> Clean up
Haseeb -> CO2 Removal -Other Ideas
N/A
Teleconference #1: Friday 23 January 2009 1500hrs -Attendance
Adam Kanyuh, David Myers, Tim O'Brien, Greg Dicosola, Tim Bannon -Agenda:
Narrow in on Design Project in preparation of Tuesday's presentation -Review Problems:
Tentative project is to design process for gasification of feedstock for production of butanol or possibly methanol. Advantages of Butanol
-can be used in existing pipelines
-no need to modify internal combustion engines
-nearly drop in replacement for gasoline (110,000 Btu/gal) Disadvantages of Butanol
-possible need of many fractionators leading to complicated project Advantages of Methanol
-simpler process
-can be sold for further processing Disadvantages of Methanol
-may not meet project guidelines Feedstock Suggestions
-municipal solid wastes or switchgrass -Action Items:
Tentative process is gasification of switchgrass to produce methanol -Roles and Responsibilities:
Tim B. Project Wiki, Help with Project outline
Tim O. Research feedstocks
Greg Block flow diagram
Catalina Research feedstocks
Haseeb Project Outline -Other Ideas:
Narrowing project to encompass only gasifier. Black box around gasifier.
Navigation Home Calendar
This page is for documenting discussion points gathered during our weekly teleconferences on Friday at 3pm. Most recent on top.
EDIT: Teleconferences are now on Thursdays at 3:30 pm
Teleonference # 12: Thursday, 3:30 pm, 23th April 2009
Teleconference #11: Thursday, 3:30 pm, 16th April, 2009
Teleconference #10: Thursday, 3:30 pm, 9th April, 2009
Attendance: Adam Kanyuh, David Meyers, Catalina Mogollon, Tim O’Brien, Greg Dicosola, Haseeb Quadri
Presentation feedback
-Issues with Costing for the dryer
-Operating Costing issues (utilities, catalyst, etc)
-Control scheme issues
Northwestern poster session
Get the final report and poster ready done
Adam and Dave are providing us with:
Turbo expander information and analysis
Compressor information
Operating cost (operator factors)
Haseeb Q.
- Call up a vendor for the cost of dryer
- Size/Cost based on amount of moister and switch grass processing rate we need in order to meet our basis (syn-gas basis).
- Re-evaluation of capital costs.
- DCF-ROI calculations. (ROR)
- Excel sheeting- already in the process of making one
Greg D.- Refine the sizes for the distillation columns, work more on pumps (final numbers needed).
- Start working on a poster
- Show compressor in the PFD (for recycle back to reactor)
- Work on compressors/pumps/cost
Tim O.· Work on fractionation stuff (re-evaluate)
·
Catalina M.
· Re-evaluation of operating cost costs (final numbers needed)
· Operating costs--- shift workers need to fixed
· Catalyst cosr should be fixed
Teleconference #9: Thursday 3:30 pm, 2nd April 2009:
Teleconference #8: Thursday 3:30 pm, 26th March 2009:
Due to spring break, we have continued to work on the roles from last conference call.
Teleconference #7: Thursday 3:30 pm, 19th March 2009:
-Attendance:
Adam Kanyuh, Dave Myers, Greg D., Haseeb Q., Catalina M.
-Agenda:
Discuss process optimization and project financing updates.
-Review Problems:
Improve ethanol yields- recycle gas product (w/CO) and methanol
Overall energy balance and heat of reaction
ICARUS Costing- to determine the cost of fractionation columns
ROR,ROI,DCF-
Operating cost-cost of utilities (steam, air, water, etc), labor, raw materials
Catalyst- amount of catalyst needed per year for alcohol synthesis
-Roles and Responsabilities:
Tim O.- Fractionation
Tim B. -Catalyst/ Reactor
Greg D. -Energy Balance/ Equipment Size and Cost
Haseeb Q. - Equipment Sizing and Cost (ICARUS)
Catalina M. - Operating Cost
Teleconference #6: Thursday 3:30 pm, 12th March 2009:
Attendance:
Adam Kanyuh, Dave Myers, Tim O., Haseeb Q., Greg D., Tim B., Catalina M.
Agenda:
Discussed about the presentation made on Tuesday and what necessary changes needs to be made in order to move forward.
For next week
Work on more sizing, capital cost, and operating cost, plant layout, and process control scheme
Teleconference #5: Thursday, March 5th, 2009 3:30 pm
Attendance: Everyone
Agenda:
Aspen modeling
Icarus costing estimates/euipment sizing and costing estimates
Stick with the bigger overall picture when explaining the processes
construction of materials
Roles and Responsabilities:
GREG D.
Gasfier sizing
Amine removal, CO2/H2S absorber material balances and energy balances if possible
Sizing of the Amine removal, CO2/H2S absorber b/c already know too much about these equipments.
TIM B.
Reactor sizing
Reactor energy balance
HASEEB Q.
Detailed Materials of construction of main equipment
Costing of the main equipment after the equipment sizing is done (icarus estimates)
TIM O.
Aspen- Fractionation column (can analyze size and cost if possible) and the Energy balances for it
CATALINA M.
Pre-treatment of biomass (power requirements etc)
Can help Greg D. with sizing of the equipments
Teleconference #4: Thursday, February 26th, 2009 3:30 pm
- Attendance: Everyone
- Review Problems
Aspen Flow sheets
Chemical Reactor material and energy analysis
Recycle stream analysis
Alcohol synthesis, fractionation analysis
Equipment sizing
Stick to Block Flow diagram when explaining MB and EB. (Bigger overall picture)
Equipment sizing
Construction of materials for the main components of the plant
Icarus costing Estimates
Combine the whole process sheet (close loop analysis, no loose ends to process sheet)
Debate on Ethanol vs Butanol
- Market analysis of ethanol and butanol
- If stopped at ethanol, then what are we going to do with it.
Advisor- is going to provide us with equipment sizing information and costing info. and going to ask professor perl about what is really needed when it comes to costing the plant.
- Roles and Responsabilities
Tim Bannon
-Chemical reactor completion, alcohol synthesis fractionation unit and link up of processes
Greg Discosola
-update on tar removal and CO2 removal unit and link up of processes
Haseeb Quadri
-Construction of materials for the main components and costing of these equipments
Tim O’brien
-More detail look into MB and EB and link up of processes
Catalina
---
Teleconference #3: 1500 hrs 9 February 2009
Attendance
Adam Kanyuh, Tim O'Brien, Greg Dicosola, Haseeb Quadri, Tim Bannon
-Agenda
Discuss upcoming presentation, progress
-Review Problems
Catalyst- what have we determined. Moly sulfide based. Sulfer (How much can we tolerate?). Catalyst we chose tolerates sulfer within range (50-100ppm)
Location- Setting up in Alabama because best switchgrass is available.
Waste Streams- Need to determine where all of them are going. Options for Sulfer- Bubble through caustic gas, Amine absorber, DEA or MEA
Amine Absorber- Could handle CO2 and H2S
Handling Tar- Absorb or catalytically absorb. Make sure tar stays in gas phase. Waste heat boiler is where it will come out.
Oil Absorber? (Polisher)- For NOx, H2S. Might be able to get rid of it if we handle tar removal and CO2 removal. Problems (Should probably remove)
Mass Balance- -complete general one for around plant. E.G. How much syn gas is going in and what is coming out. Complete mass and energy balances as much as possible. C O2 S N2 in C O2 S N2 out
Alcohol Synthesis- -type of catalyst does water gas shift itself -add enough heat to just do water gas shift -take a look at methane coking. Make back end smaller, remove CO2 initially - Catalina and Tim B look into how much Methanol and Ethanol will come out of mixed alcohol reactor.
Rough cost Estimate- -Look into sizing. All we can really do right now is look into prices of products and feedstocks.
-Roles and Responsibilities
No Change
Teleconference #2: January 30, 2009 3:00 pm
-Attendance
Adam Kanyuh, Dan Rusinak, David Meyers, Catalina Mogollon, Tim O’Brien, Greg Dicosola
-Agenda
Feedback on presentation. Assign goals and responsibilities for next week.
-Review Problems
Decided on mix of alcohols as product - avoid costs of distillation, have market, can still leave open to butanol.
Gasification techniques - Packer engineering (Peter Schubert presentation); also Taylor gasification (will be sent through e-mail).
Mass Balance- Work from catalyst type and gasifier to find rates between other steps. Consider economics of heat streams, energy coming out of process, electricity generation. What is done with every stream?
Design Basis- where are we building plant? Determine economic escalation factors, units of measure. How will we price product? Set up economic values up front. Also, have assumptions of yields, etc., and impact on environment.
-Roles and Responsibilities
Tim O. - Gasification - decide on gasifier
Catalina - Catalyst - research catalyst
Greg D. - PFD
Group - work on mass balance around system - work outside-in
-Other Ideas
N/A
Monday 26 January 2009 Meeting after class-
Attendance
Tim B, Tim O, Haseeb, Catalina, Greg
-Agenda
Assign duties for power point presentation due 27 January 2009. Assign initial research responsibilities.
-Review Problems
Each group member will have one slide they are responsible for and will forward said slide to Catalina NLT 2200 hrs 26 January 2009.
Each group member was assigned an area of initial research responsibility to begin gathering necessary data.
-Action Items
N/A
-Roles and Responsibilities
Research
Tim B -> Fractionation
Tim O -> Gasifier
Catalina -> Alcohol Synthesis
Greg -> Clean up
Haseeb -> CO2 Removal
-Other Ideas
N/A
Teleconference #1: Friday 23 January 2009 1500hrs
-Attendance
Adam Kanyuh, David Myers, Tim O'Brien, Greg Dicosola, Tim Bannon
-Agenda:
Narrow in on Design Project in preparation of Tuesday's presentation
-Review Problems:
Tentative project is to design process for gasification of feedstock for production of butanol or possibly methanol.
Advantages of Butanol
-can be used in existing pipelines
-no need to modify internal combustion engines
-nearly drop in replacement for gasoline (110,000 Btu/gal)
Disadvantages of Butanol
-possible need of many fractionators leading to complicated project
Advantages of Methanol
-simpler process
-can be sold for further processing
Disadvantages of Methanol
-may not meet project guidelines
Feedstock Suggestions
-municipal solid wastes or switchgrass
-Action Items:
Tentative process is gasification of switchgrass to produce methanol
-Roles and Responsibilities:
Tim B. Project Wiki, Help with Project outline
Tim O. Research feedstocks
Greg Block flow diagram
Catalina Research feedstocks
Haseeb Project Outline
-Other Ideas:
Narrowing project to encompass only gasifier. Black box around gasifier.